A viral thread on r/BurningMan is bringing back memories of a certain iconic playa prank while also spotlighting a cheeky local tactic out of Minneapolis. The post centers on folks in the Twin Cities reportedly putting Mexican flags on their trucks to bait ICE agents — a move people are calling “ICE fishing” — and it sparked a bunch of nostalgic and amused responses from the Burning Man community.
Why it matters: the original thread ties into an old playa legend (“Dildo Akbar”) and the general culture of playful, over-the-top DIY antics that pop up in Burning Man circles. Commenters also used the thread to share on-the-ground vibes from Minneapolis, where the winter art event Art Shanties (small temporary art buildings on frozen lakes) is giving people the same kind of joyful, communal energy folks love about Burning Man.
Notable community reactions pulled from the thread:
- “I’m in Minneapolis and dildo akbar was the first thing I thought of when I saw this.” — DimitriElephant
- “We are fucking doing it proper here in Minneapolis… The experience in [an Art Shanty] was so beautiful and full of joy and play that I just started sobbing when it was over.” — bryguy27007
- “Dildo Akbar was so epic, such a funny day on eplaya/this sub.” — cyanescens_burn
- “Tanto is a fucking legend!” — whererusteve
Short version: people are chuckling at the creativity and nostalgia, and locals are celebrating small-scale winter art projects that scratch the same itch as bigger festivals. That said — a quick friendly reminder: stunts that involve law enforcement, immigration officers, or putting other people at risk aren’t just funny — they can have real consequences. If you’re inspired by the energy, aim for creative expression that stays safe and doesn’t endanger or target vulnerable people.
If you want to catch the original conversation, it came up on the Burning Man subreddit and has a mix of laughs, hometown reports, and festival nostalgia.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/BurningMan/comments/1qzth7p/dildo_akbar_rides_again/